If you left your keys inside the vehicle, on the ignition or even left the car running when you just popped in a shop for a few seconds and your car was stolen, you may have worries as to what sorts of questions you may face from your loss adjuster when you report the incident….
Continue readingDealing with Claims
Not many people intend to make claims when they buy car insurance policies. However, it is something you are likely to have to deal. It is always better to be prepared.
What Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage?
Uninsured motorist insurance coverage (UMC) pays for your and your passengers’ injuries and damages when you are hit by a driver with no insurance. When you are hit by a driver who doesn’t have sufficient insurance to pay for all your and your passengers’ injuries and damages, underinsured motorist coverage comes into play to pay…
Continue readingCan Asking Advice about an Accident Raise my Car Insurance?
Several auto insurance carriers confirm that they will not consider an incident reported to them in their premium calculations if it isn’t followed with a claim. However, a lot depends on the company, size of reported damages, other parties involved and whether there were injuries or not. It is up to the agent to consider…
Continue readingHow Auto Insurance Accident Forgiveness Work
Car insurance accident forgiveness is a provision offered by many insurers to mitigate the impact of the first at-fault accident on premiums. While maintaining a clean driving record for several years can help keep rates stable, a single at-fault accident can cause up to 42% premium increase. To address this issue, insurers often provide accident…
Continue readingHow Much Does Insurance Pay for a Totaled Car?
Dealing with a totaled car can be a challenging experience, but understanding how insurance companies determine the payout can help you navigate the process more effectively. It’s important to keep in mind that you have the opportunity to conduct your own research, perform calculations, and present your input to the claim adjuster. Below, how auto…
Continue readingHow Auto Insurance Coverage Can Affect Claim Settlements
You cannot make a claim if you don’t have the car insurance coverage for the loss you suffered or it is insufficient to pay for all the damages or injuries. So, it is very important to know what your policy provisions are and ensure they meet your protection needs. It is always disappointing when a…
Continue readingReasons for Being Refused Auto Insurance
Car insurance is a legal requirement to drive virtually everywhere in the US and yet there are some reasons that can make a driver or a vehicle uninsurable. This is usually due to personal details, non-standard nature of the application, a riskier vehicle and a combination of factors like a bad driver with a sports…
Continue readingWhat Is the Difference Between Insurance Agents and Brokers?
The fact that people can buy policies through both intermediaries can make them think that they are interchangeable but there are key differences. Agents are authorised by insurance companies to sell policies and therefore they represent and work for the insurers. They can also bind the insurance company to a policy contract. On the other…
Continue readingBuying Auto Insurance with No Current Insurance Coverage History
Motorists can purchase car insurance after a while of not having or for the first time with most insurers without a problem but they may have to pay a bit more than someone with long continuous coverage. Not knowing why you didn’t have any coverage and if you were driving without insurance or not doesn’t…
Continue readingWould Car Insurers Pay Repair Claims Directly to Policyholders?
Auto insurance companies may be happy with repair estimates they received from the policyholders, especially if they are for minor work, and send the claim payment to the policyholder directly, if the vehicle is owned outright. Then, it would be up to the vehicle owner to get the repairs done within the budget. The insurer…
Continue readingIs the Car Owner or Driver Liable for an Accident?
Drivers are legally liable to compensate for damages and injuries they cause to others when they are at-fault in an accident. But often the owner’s car insurance ends up paying for the damages because owners are responsible for insuring the automobile in question. However, normally owners’ role is limited to their liability coverage. Any damages…
Continue readingDoes My Own Insurance Go Up if I Crash Someone’s Car?
When you have your own car insurance but you crash someone else’s vehicle and their policy pays for the damages, the claim goes down on their policy to affect their rates for the next 3 – 5 years depending on their insurers. This claim will not be noted on your own policy but you would…
Continue readingCan I Keep a Totaled Car and Get It Repaired?
When buying your car back from insurance after it has been salvaged, the process typically involves several steps. First, you’ll need to reach out to your insurance company and express your interest in buying back your totaled vehicle. They will provide you with the necessary paperwork, such as a salvage title application, which you’ll need…
Continue readingDoes Auto Insurance Cover Snow and Ice Damage?
Motorists need to have full coverage car insurance if they want to be protected from weather related damages in all seasons including winter. State required Liability policies only compensate for injuries and damages insured vehicles cause to other people and doesn’t include any physical damage provision for own auto. However, Comprehensive coverage together with Collision…
Continue readingCommon Lies on Auto Insurance Applications
It is unfortunately not uncommon for some policyholders to provide false information on their car insurance applications. This can lead to serious consequences such as claim denials, policy cancellations, or even prosecution for insurance fraud. Let’s explore some of the common lies policyholders may tell on their vehicle insurance applications and the potential repercussions they…
Continue readingCar Insurance for Drivers with Accident History
Having accidents on record will certainly affect auto insurance premium as it will put you in the high risk drivers category. However, how much it does influence rates depends on many factors like age, experience, the number of claims you made, credit score, when you had the last incident, the provider and state you live…
Continue readingCan My Auto Insurance Be Cancelled Due to Accidents?
States regulate policy cancellations and normally car insurance companies cannot cancel a policy directly as a result of an accident. They may have to wait until the next renewal to drop the policyholder. However, if the policyholder is charged with DUI or loses driving privileges due to the accident, this would give them grounds to…
Continue readingCommon Reasons for Auto Insurance Claim Denials
Once a vehicle insurance company denies a claim, they have to lay out the reasons in letter, which could be lack of coverage, exclusions and conditions in the policy, disputed liability, failure to submit the claim in time, unaccepted use of the vehicle and misrepresentation of the facts. The insurer may have gotten it wrong…
Continue readingVanishing Deductibles Auto Insurance Policies
Motorists may be able to arrange policies with disappearing deductibles through a few companies. In such cases, there are set amounts for each coverage component at the start but they start going down for every year (or six-month term) if there are no accidents or traffic violations. It is a way of rewarding policyholders and people…
Continue readingWill Insurance Pay If I Damage my Own Car or Property?
Car insurance policies can indeed provide compensation for self-inflicted damages, but it largely depends on the specific coverage you have on your policy and the circumstances surrounding the incident. Let’s delve into the details of when your auto insurance may or may not pay for self-inflicted damages to your car and property: Understanding Car Insurance…
Continue readingWhat Happens if You Don’t Have Auto Insurance?
Motorists may not feel the need to insure cars they don’t drive. Then, they would need to take it off the street and fill an affidavit of non-use with the DMV to avoid getting chased by the authorities. But it is a totally different story if they are driving the vehicle without insurance. Then, they…
Continue readingWhat Happens if You Get in an Accident Without Insurance?
You are legally responsible for any damages and injuries you cause in an accident. Insurance is just a mechanism to pay for your responsibilities. Without insurance, you have to pay for any damages or injuries you cause in an accident out of pocket. This means you may have to pay for the repairs to your…
Continue readingCan Auto Insurance Defend You from Lawsuits?
Even if you have liability auto insurance you can still be sued by third parties who blame you for their injuries and damages. Even if the third parties know you have insurance, they need to sue you (not the insurance company) if they believe your insurer is taking too long to settle their claims or…
Continue reading10 Common Car Insurance Problems to Avoid for Claims
Policyholders may make the mistake of seeing vehicle insurance claim settlements as an automatic outcome of buying coverage, but it isn’t always the case. You are right to expect them to compensate own and third party damages. Nonetheless, it is naive to think that this will be a simple case of submitting a form. There…
Continue readingWill No Fault Accidents Increase Auto Insurance Premiums?
Even if you are not at fault in an accident, it may still increase your premium 10% on average, according to the CFA study. If your car insurance company ends up paying for your damages, they are most likely to increase your rates as it costs them money. But the increase will not be as…
Continue readingCan You Negotiate with Auto Insurance Adjusters?
It is in everyone’s best interest to settle claims as fast as possible. Car insurance adjusters are tasked with assessing the damages and offering a settlement but they often start with a low ball offer. So, policyholders are entitled to do their own research, get their own estimates and enter into a negotiation with the…
Continue readingWhat to Know before Canceling Auto Insurance Coverage
In the ever-changing landscape of life, there are occasions when motorists find themselves needing to put an end to their car insurance policies. However, navigating the process of cancellation requires careful consideration to avoid any potential issues down the road. Whether it’s due to selling a vehicle, moving to a new state, or seeking better…
Continue readingHow to Ensure a Car Insurance Claim Is Approved?
Motorists normally don’t plan to make an auto insurance claim but making sure it will be approved when they make one is a process, which starts with arranging the coverage they need. If there is no provision in the policy to pay for the suffered damages or injuries, it will be easy for the companies…
Continue readingHow Does Auto Insurance Cover Hit-and-Runs?
If someone causes an accident and flees the scene, motorists have to rely on their own vehicle insurance policies, providing they have coverage for hit and run accidents. Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury, Personal Injury Protection or Medical Payments coverages can pay for your and your passengers’ injuries and Uninsured Motorist Property Damage or Collision coverages…
Continue readingHow Long Do Car Insurance Claims Take to Settle?
Many companies settle small auto insurance claims automatically with minimum fuss and they send the check within days, after the policyholder submits the required estimates and details. But they investigate the larger claims to determine fault and check if there is coverage for the damages and injuries. Most states require vehicle insurers to investigate claims…
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